Orion Atlas EQ-G Equatorial Mount Instruction Manual
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INSTRUCTION MANUAL Francais ➊Pour obtenir le manuel d'utilisation complet, ™ veuillez vous rendre sur le site Web OrionTe- Orion Atlas EQ-G lescopes.eu/fr et saisir la référence du produit dans la barre de recherche. Equatorial GoTo Mount ➋Cliquez ensuite sur le lien du manuel d’utilisation du produit sur la page de descrip- tion du produit. #9996 Deutsche ➊Wenn Sie das vollständige Handbuch ein- sehen möchten, wechseln Sie zu OrionTelescopes.de, und geben Sie in der Suchleiste die Artikelnummer der Orion-Kamera ein. ➋Klicken Sie anschließend auf der Seite mit den Produktdetails auf den Link des entspre- chenden Produkthandbuches. Español ➊Para ver el manual completo, visite OrionTelescopes.eu y escriba el número de artículo del producto en la barra de búsqueda. ➋A continuación, haga clic en el enlace al manual del producto de la página de detalle del producto. Italiano ➊ Per accedere al manuale completo, visitare il sito Web OrionTelescopes.eu. Immettere the product item number nella barra di ricerca ➋ Fare quindi clic sul collegamento al manuale del prodotto nella pagina delle informazioni sul prodotto. Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA Toll Free USA & Canada: (800) 447-1001 International: +1(831) 763-7000 Customer Support: [email protected] AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY Copyright © 2020 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars. All Rights Reserved. No part of this product instruction or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars. IN 279 Rev. F 09/20 Saddle Dovetail mounting bar Saddle clamp knobs Declination setting circle Dec clutch lever Front opening Drive panel Right Ascension setting circle Counter weight shaft lock lever R. A. clutch lever Counter weight lock knobs Polar Scope Latitude scale Counterweights Altitude adjustment Safety stop L-bolts Mount attachment Azimuth adjustment knob (x2) knob Center Column SynScan hand controller Accessory tray/spreader Leg lock levers (x3) Figure 1. The Atlas EQ-G mount 2 Table of Contents 1. Unpacking 1. Unpacking...........................3 The entire mount will arrive in two boxes, one containing the tripod and the other containing the equatorial mount and hand 2. Parts List............................3 controller. Be careful unpacking the boxes. We recommend 3. Assembly ...........................4 keeping the boxes and original packaging. In the event that the mount needs to be shipped to another location, or returned 4. Installing a Telescope on the Mount . 5 to Orion for warranty repair, having the proper packaging will 5. Balancing the Telescope................6 ensure that your mount will survive the journey intact. 6. Operating the Atlas EQ-G...............7 Make sure all the parts in the Parts List are present. Be sure to check the box carefully, as some parts are small. If any- 7. The SynScan GoTo Hand Controller.......9 thing appears to be missing or broken, immediately call Orion 8. Technical Specifications ............... 10 Customer Support (800-676-1343) or email support@tele- scope.com for assistance. Congratulations on your purchase of the 2. Parts List venerable Orion Atlas EQ-G Equatorial GoTo Mount and Tripod! This solidly built, high- Box 1: Tripod quality mount is equipped with precision optical Qty. Item encoders and dual-axis stepper motors to provide 1 Tripod high pointing accuracy, fast slewing, and smooth, 2 Counterweights (11.8 lbs. each) accurate tracking of celestial objects. With the 1 Tripod accessory tray/spreader included SynScan GoTo hand controller and its 42,900-object database, this mount will provide Box 2: Equatorial Mount years of enjoyable, productive observing or 1 Equatorial mount imaging performance with whatever optical tube 1 Tube ring mounting plate you choose to install on it. 1 12V DC Power cable These instructions will help you set up and properly 1 Counterweight shaft extension, 7-1/4" (184mm) use your Atlas mount. Please read them thorough- 1 SynScan GoTo hand controller ly before getting started. Note that the SynScan 1 Hand controller coil cable GoTo hand controller has its own, separate user manual, which thoroughly explains its features and 1 Hand controller bracket operation. 1 Allen key, 1.5mm 1 Allen key, 4mm WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun through your telescope or its finder scope – even for an instant – without a professionally made solar filter that com- pletely covers the front of the instrument, or perma- nent eye damage could result. Young children should use this telescope only with adult supervision. 3 a. Mount attachment Gap Center knob support shaft Azimuth adjustment Tray knobs arm Tray Knob Washer Align gap with post Figure 3. Install the accessory tray, flat side up, as shown. The three tray arms should press against the tripod legs. Post b. Strap with Bracket hook-and-loop fastener Figure 2. a) Loosen the azimuth adjustment knobs to create at least a ½” gap. b) Orient the mount head so that the gap aligns with the metal post on the tripod. 3. Assembly Refer to Figure 1 as needed during the assembly process. 1. Stand the tripod upright and spread the legs out as far as they will go. Make certain that the leg lock levers are tight- ened. Keep the tripod legs at their shortest (fully retracted) length, for now; you can extend them to a more desirable Figure 4. The hand controller bracket should be fastened to a length later, after the mount is fully assembled. tripod leg. 2. Loosen the two azimuth adjustment knobs on the mount head until there is ½" or more of space between the ends Attaching the Accessory Tray/Spreader and the (Figure 2a). Then place the mount on the tripod, aligning Hand Controller Bracket the metal post on the tripod with the gap between the two 1. Remove the knob and washer from the bottom of the cen- azimuth adjustment knobs (Figure 2b). ter support shaft. Slide the tripod support tray up the bot- tom of the shaft until the three tray arms are touching the 3. Thread the center support shaft up through the tripod head legs of the tripod. The flat side of the support tray should and into the bottom of the equatorial mount until tight. Use be facing up. Make sure the “V” of each tray arm is against the upper knob on the center support shaft to do this. The a tripod leg. Place the washer on the center support shaft equatorial mount should now be firmly connected to the tripod. against the tray, and follow it by threading the knob all the 4 1. Loosen the counterweight shaft lock lever (see Figure 1) and fully extend the shaft. Then re-tighten the lock lever. 2. Loosen the right ascension (R.A.) lock lever and rotate the R.A. axis until the counterweight shaft is pointing toward the ground, as in Figure 1. 3. Remove the “toe saver” safety stop from the end of the counterweight shaft. 4. The Atlas mount comes with a 7-1/4" (184mm) counter- Extension weight shaft extension, which can be installed at this point if necessary for balancing heavier payloads (Figure 5). Ensure that the extension is tightly secured before install- ing counterweights. 5. Loosen the counterweight’s lock knob and slide one or both counterweights onto the counterweight shaft as needed to balance your instrument. (See Section 5 for details on how to balance the telescope.) Retighten the Figure 5. The counterweight shaft extension threads into the end lock knob to secure the counterweight on the shaft. of the counterweight shaft. 6. Replace the safety stop on the end of the counterweight shaft. The safety stop prevents the counterweights from falling on your foot if the lock knobs happen to loosen. Tube ring attachment screw 4. Installing a Telescope on the Mount The Atlas EQ-G mount is designed to hold a telescope pay- Flat washer load of up to 40 lbs. For heavier telescopes, the mount may not provide sufficient stability for steady viewing or imaging. Lock Before installing a telescope, be sure that: washer • The mount is in the “home” position, with counterweight Optical axis offset shaft pointing toward the ground. adjustment screws • The counterweights are installed on the counterweight Figure 6. The tube ring mounting plate, or dovetail mounting bar, shaft and have been moved to the bottom end of the shaft. shown with tube ring (sold separately) attached. • The R.A. axis is secured by tightening the R.A. clutch lever. way up the center support shaft until it is tight against the tray (Figure 3). The tripod support tray provides additional The dovetail mounting bar (a.k.a. tube ring mounting bar) stability for the tripod, and holds up to five 1.25" eyepieces included with the mount allows attachment of tube rings (sold and two 2" eyepieces. separately) that hold a telescope’s optical tube. Some tele- scopes come with their own mounting bar and tube rings, 2. Using the bubble level on the mount (see Figure 10), level or have a built-in dovetail bar and do not need tube rings; in the mount by adjusting the length of the tripod legs as either case you will not need the included dovetail bar. needed. 1. If using the included dovetail mounting bar, attach the tube 3. Strap the included hand controller bracket to a tripod leg rings to the bar using the screws that came with the tube above the tripod center support tray using the hook-and- rings. The screws should go through the center holes in loop strap, as shown in Figure 4. the ends of the mounting bar and rethread into the tube Warning: The accessory tray/spreader will ensure the tri- rings. Note that the side of the mounting bar with the pod legs remain firmly expanded, which will prevent the central “groove” will be facing up (Figure 6).